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March Madness The season is here with 68 teams playing in 67 live games across the country from Houston, Texas to New York City, with plenty of action to follow over the next month, including today’s first round game: Drake Bulldogs vs. Miami Hurricanes.
If you want to tune in in time for tip off, here’s what you need to know:
Best way to watch today’s game:
Sling TV Orange & Blue, $30 for your first month (down from $60)
How to watch Bulldogs vs Hurricanes tonight
No. 12 Drake vs. No. 5 Miami kicks off tonight at 7:15 ET You can watch the Drake University vs. Miami University showdown on TBS. Our recommendations for watching tonight’s game? Sling TV.
Sling Orange & Blue starts at just $30 for your first month and you get access to games on TBS, TNT, truTV and ESPN. Notably, it won’t get you the games on CBS, so you’ll need access to your local CBS channel via a digital TV antenna or Paramount+ subscription for full coverage of the 2023 tournament.
New customers can also enter to win freebies during the month of February LG TV Through the sling. Sling TV also offers NBA TV through its sports add-on. For $11 extra per month, you can get NBA TV, NHL Network, MLB Network, Tennis Channel and more.
Sling TV Orange & Blue, $30 for your first month (down from $60)
How to watch Friday’s first round of March Madness games:
Keep up with the March Madness schedule. CBS Essentials knows where you can watch the upcoming Round of 64 games.
Friday, March 17 (Round of 64. Always Eastern)
No. 10 USC vs. No. 7 Michigan State | Noon |CBSNo. 14 Kanes St. vs. No. 3 Xavier | 12:30 pm | truTVNo 14 UC Santa Barbara Vs. No. 3 Baylor | 1:20 pm | TNT No. 12 VCU vs. No. 5 St. Mary’s | 1:50 pm | TBSNo 15 Vermont vs No 2 Marquette 2:30 pm | CBS No. 11 Mississippi State/Pitt vs. No. 6 Iowa State | 3 pm truTVNo 11 NC State vs. No. 6 Creighton | 3:50 pm | TNT No. 13 Iona vs. No. 4 UConn | 4:20 pm | TBSNo 16 Texas Southern/Fairleigh Dickinson vs No 1 Purdue | 6:45 pm | TNT No. 11 Providence vs. No. 6 Kentucky | 7 pm CBS No. 12 Drake vs. No. 5 Miami | 7:15 pm | TBSNo 14 Grand Canyon vs No 3 Gonzaga | 7:25 pm truTV No. 9 Florida Atlantic vs. No. 8 Memphis | 9:15 pm | TNT No. 14 Montana St. vs. No. 3 Kansas St. | 9:30 p.m CBS No. 13 Kent State vs. No. 4 Indiana | 9:45 pm | TBSNo 11 Arizona St./Nevada vs. No. 6 TCU | 9:55 pm | truTV
You can watch the full men’s bracket on CBS Sports. Here’s how to watch upcoming games on CBS, TNT, ESPN and more.
Where to watch March Madness games?
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While CBS serves as the official cable TV home for this year’s Men’s March Madness tournament, live NCAA basketball games will also air on TBS, TNT and truTV. The 2023 women’s tournament will be broadcast on ESPN.
Paramount+
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All March Madness games broadcast on CBS will be available to stream simultaneously with a Paramount+ Premium Tier subscription. Paramount+ has two plans: the ad-supported Essential plan for $5 per month and the ad-free Premium plan for $10 per month. You can also try the Paramount+ tier for free for 7 days.
Paramount+, $5 per month and up
Sling TV
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An affordable way to stream basketball is with a Sling TV subscription. Right now, there’s a special deal — Sling TV is offering $20 off your first month. (Sling TV typically costs $40 and up per month for plans with live sports.) There’s no long-term contract, so you can sign up to stream only March Madness basketball games and cancel if you want.
To catch most March Madness games, you’ll need Sling TV’s Orange and Blue plans, which start at $30 for your first month and $60 monthly thereafter. Sling Orange and Blue will give you access to games on TBS, TNT, truTV and ESPN. Notably, it won’t get you the games on CBS, so you’ll need access to your local CBS channel via a digital TV antenna or Paramount+ subscription for full coverage of the 2023 tournament.
New customers can also enter to win freebies during the month of February LG TV Through the sling. Sling TV also offers NBA TV through its sports add-on. For $11 extra per month, you can get NBA TV, NHL Network, MLB Network, Tennis Channel and more.
Sling TV Orange & Blue, $30 for your first month (down from $60)
Hulu + Live TV
Jack Dempsey/NCAA Photo via Getty Images
A subscription to Hulu Live TV offers access to all the major channels broadcasting the 2023 March Madness Games, including your local CBS channel, TBS, TNT and TruTV. Plus, Hulu+ Live TV can now be bundled with ad-supported Disney+ and ESPN+, giving you access to every 2023 March Madness game. You also get access to over 65 other live and on-demand channels, including live sports, news and entertainment.
Hulu + Live TV, $70 per month and up
Watch local CBS with an amplified HDTV antenna
the amazon
Most March Madness games will be broadcast on local CBS affiliates, so if you don’t have a cable or streaming subscription, a digital antenna is a great option to watch the game. This HDTV antenna, an Amazon best seller, claims a 200-mile range and comes with a 17-foot-long coaxial cable. Rated 4 stars by Amazon reviewers.
Extended HDTV Antenna, $22 after coupon (reduced from $27)
Who is playing in NCAA March Madness 2023?
68 Division I college basketball teams will play in this year’s NCAA March Madness tournament.
To see the complete bracket of teams, visit our sister site, CBS Sports.
2023 March Madness Timeline:
2023 March Madness Schedule (Men):
March 12: Election Sunday
March 14-15: First Four
March 16-17: First round
March 18-19: Second round
March 23-24: Sweet 16
March 25-26: Elite Eight
April 1: Final Four
April 3: NCAA Championship Game
2023 March Madness Schedule (Women):
March 15-16: First Four
March 17-18: First round
March 19-20: Second round
March 24-25: Sweet 16
March 26-27: Elite Eight
March 31: Final Four
April 2: Women’s NCAA Championship Game
The best TV deals before March Madness 2023
If you want to create the ultimate NCAA Tournament experience at home, it may be time to upgrade your home theater. Continue reading to check out the best deals Great TV for watching sports and more
LG G2 Series OLED Evo Gallery Edition Smart TV: $1,997
LG via Amazon
Designed to compete with Samsung’s “The Frame,” this LG TV features a gallery design that “hugs the wall,” according to the brand. This smart tv is meant to blend in seamlessly with any other wall art you have.
OLED TVs include 4K-upscaling, Dolby Vision IQ and a filmmaker mode to enhance your viewing experience with Dolby Atmos, plus built-in access to Netflix, Prime Video, Apple TV Plus, Disney Plus and LG channels.
One Amazon customer called the TV “the best 4K panel I’ve ever owned.” “The panel actually looks like hanging wall art in my living room,” they commented.
65″ LG G2 Series OLED Evo Gallery Edition Smart TV, $1,997 (regularly $3,000)
65″ Sony Bravia XR OLED 4K TV: $1,698
the amazon
The 65-inch Sony Bravia XR OLED 4K TV features a cognitive processor that delivers sharp contrast with pure blacks, high peak brightness and natural colors. Thanks to its Acoustic Surface Audio+ technology, the screen is the speaker. This smart TV comes with access to Google TV and works with most voice assistants.
65″ Sony Bravia XR OLED 4K TV, $1,698 (down from $2,300)
75” Amazon Fire TV Omni Series 4K Smart TV: $800
the amazon
This 75-inch Amazon Fire TV offers a 4K UHD display and enhanced color and clarity thanks to Dolby Vision. The TV also supports voice control with Amazon Alexa. Its high-quality picture quality and large size make this TV a solid choice for football fans — plus, it’s hard to find such a large screen at such a low price. This deal is only for Prime members, but non-Prime buyers can still sell the TV for $800.
75″ Amazon Fire TV Omni Series 4K Smart TV, $800 (reduced from $1,100)
65” TCL Roku Smart TV: $368
TCL via Walmart
This top-rated TCL Roku TV is an ultra-affordable option that uses the user-friendly Roku interface.
“I recently purchased this TV last week and I’m really impressed with its amazing picture, great sound, and easy set up,” wrote a Walmart customer. “TCLE is the way to go if you want an affordable TV. I have nothing negative to say about the TV and I will buy TVs from this brand again in the near future.”
65” TCL Roku 4K Smart TV, $368
Amazon Fire 4-Series TV 55″ 4K TV with Built-in Alexa: $360
the amazon
A medium-sized television, 55 to 65 inches diagonally, is the ideal size for many living rooms. The optimal distance for a 55-inch 4K TV, such as this model, is between 4.5 and seven feet. That leaves enough room for people to get up and walk around for more snacks from the gameday spread.
Amazon Fire 4-Series TV 55″ 4K TV with Alexa built in, $360 (reduced from $520)
55” Elements 4K Outdoor Roku TV: $1,168
Walmart
This IP55 weatherproof TV with HDR10 is designed for outdoor use in all seasons — it operates in temperatures from -4ºF to 104ºF. It has a tempered, anti-glare screen that’s bright enough for use in partial sun.
55” Elements 4K Outdoor TV, $1,168